Support and Care for a Friend

Whether you are a friend or Wells faculty or staff, you may be the first to notice that someone you care about begins to act in a different way. NEVER be afraid to ask “Are you okay?” You may be the first person to respond to someone, this might be the question that helps begin recovery. First and foremost, obtain immediate help from Wells Campus Safety if the survivor is injured or unsafe in any way.

Helpful Strategies for Talking with a Survivor

Believe them. Believing someone when the person tells you ze has been sexually assaulted is the most important thing you can do. Your immediate reaction can have a powerful impact on their healing, especially if you happen to be the first person the survivor has disclosed to. Always believe them.

Listen. Use active listening skills and allow the survivor tell as much or as little of their story as they feel comfortable with. It is not up to you to "figure out what happened" or even understand all of the circumstances or details of the assault. Simply listening is enough.

Assure them that they are not to blame for the assault in any way. Survivors of sexual assault often blame themselves for what has happened. It is important to assure survivors that no matter what happened - it was not their fault.

Respect the survivor's need for privacy. Be sure to tell the survivor before they start sharing if you have a College role that prevents you from keeping information confidential. Tell the person that you want to support them, and this support may involve sharing this information with people who can help. Please note, the only truly confidential resources on campus are the counselors at the Community Medical Center (315) 364-3273.

Assure them they are not alone. Survivors of sexual assault often feel isolated, scared, and powerless. Tell the survivor that you are there for them; then follow through by being there to listen and support.

Use all available resources. Assist the survivor to get connected to campus resources or other professionals who can help. Say "There are people on campus who are experts in this, who know what to do and who can be trusted."

Assure them they can and will recover in time. This has been a traumatic disruption in their life but they will feel differently about things in the future.

Get help for yourself. Even those with the best intentions can become over-involved with the survivor's recovery, possibly hurting both of you. Seek advice if you have any concerns about how to help. Staff in the Community Medical Center can help you too!

Things to Avoid When Helping a Survivor

We often want to respond to violence with aggressive action. The worst thing to do is act aggressive around someone with trauma. Avoid saying - "I will hurt the person who did this to you!"

Don't ask the survivor to tell every detail about the assault. Survivors often experience additional trauma when asked to repeat their story.